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Colombian Lechona Tolimense

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Colombian lechona Tolimense with seasoned rice, peas, roast pork, crisp skin, and arepa.
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Lechona Tolimense is a festive Colombian specialty that pairs well-seasoned pork with rice, peas, and crisp skin.

This practical home method marinates pork shoulder and skin-on belly, roasts them until tender, and folds the meat and juices through seasoned rice.

Roast the belly skin-side up and keep it separate while resting so it stays crisp.

Serving Suggestions

Serve generous spoonfuls topped with crisp skin and a plain white-corn arepa.

Rustic baking dish of Colombian lechona with rice, peas, pork, crisp skin, and serving spoon.

Recipe Notes

Marinate one day ahead. Refrigerate the pork-rice mixture for three days and keep crisp skin separate.

Colombian lechona Tolimense with seasoned rice, peas, roast pork, crisp skin, and arepa.

Colombian Lechona Tolimense

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Tolima-style roast pork with seasoned rice, peas, and crisp pork skin.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Marinating 8 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Colombian
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 
 

Marinated Pork
  • 4 lb boneless pork shoulder cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 10 oz skin-on pork belly cut into large pieces
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp fine salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
Rice Filling
  • 2 cups long-grain white rice rinsed
  • 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 cup cooked green peas
  • 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
  • 4 whole scallions finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp fine salt
Serve
  • 10 small plain white corn arepas

Equipment

  • Large nonreactive bowl
  • Large Dutch oven or roasting pan with lid
  • Medium saucepan
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Serving spoon

Method
 

Marinate:
  1. Combine the pork shoulder and belly with garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, orange juice, and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.
  2. Heat the oven to 325 F (165 C). Arrange the pork in a covered roasting pan, keeping the belly skin facing up.
Roast and Cook Rice:
  1. Roast covered for 2 hours. Uncover and continue roasting for 60 to 90 minutes until the pork is tender and the belly skin is crisp. Transfer the skin to a board and rest the meat.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the onion and scallions in oil for 5 minutes. Stir in rice, cumin, turmeric, salt, and stock. Cover and cook gently for 16 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes and fold in the peas.
Combine:
  1. Chop the pork into irregular pieces and fold it, along with 1 cup of defatted roasting juices, into the rice.
  2. Break the crisp skin into shards. Spoon lechona onto plates, top with skin, and serve with small arepas.

Nutrition

Calories: 720kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 48gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 1050mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4g

Notes

  • This practical home version recreates the flavors of whole-pig lechona in a covered roasting pan.
  • If the skin needs more crisping, place it alone on a tray under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.

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